Acrylate-Selective Transesterification of Methacrylate/Acrylate Copolymers: Postfunctionalization with Common Acrylates and Alcohols

Acrylate-selective transesterification of methacrylate/acrylate copolymers with alcohols was developed for a site-selective postfunctionalization technique of polymers without using specific monomers. Importantly, a common methyl acrylate efficiently works as a selective modification unit via transesterification coupled with a titanium alkoxide catalyst. The acrylate-selective transesterification is achieved owing to less steric hindrance of the carbonyl groups that are attached to the main chain without an α-methyl group. Typically, the acrylate pendants of dodecyl methacrylate/methyl acrylate (MA) random copolymers were selectively transesterified with benzyl alcohol (BzOH). The conversion of the pendent esters into benzyl esters proportionally increased with MA contents. Additionally, various alcohols were applicable to this MA-selective transesterification system.